Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 24, 2026 Corrected report

477 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Powell Livestock Market report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $349.71/cwt +24.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,666/hd at 476 lb · 30 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $319.89/cwt +0.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,814/hd at 567 lb · 29 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $421.46/cwt +22.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,580/hd at 375 lb · 28 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 477 277 497
Feeder cattle 430 220 429
Slaughter cattle 47 55 68
Replacement cattle — 2 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were3.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers were 10.00 to 15.00 higher, while bulls were mixed. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,696 —
401–432 411 3 417.50–422.50 $420.75 $1,729 +35.75
460–492 483 4 340.00–382.50 $365.36 $1,765 +0.80
505–546 513 6 340.00–363.00 $355.98 $1,826 +9.80
586 586 1 341.00 $341.00 $1,998 +2.30
608 608 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,052 +18.82
654–682 667 3 330.00–337.50 $333.28 $2,223 —
716–734 725 2 320.00–325.00 $322.53 $2,338 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
574–582 578 2 280.00–310.00 $294.90 $1,705 —
656 656 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,034 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,490 ±0.00
588 588 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,882 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
638 638 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,691 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
254–278 266 2 390.00–395.00 $392.61 $1,044 +2.68
300–340 329 7 390.00–435.00 $398.90 $1,312 +16.40
356–382 370 7 360.00–415.00 $394.49 $1,460 +27.08
401 value added 401 2 407.50 $407.50 $1,634 —
400–444 418 15 327.50–407.50 $376.00 $1,572 +40.04
461 value added 461 10 387.50 $387.50 $1,786 —
470–498 484 20 310.00–340.00 $330.82 $1,601 +5.89
504–546 528 15 295.00–337.50 $316.01 $1,669 -1.36
550–595 582 8 290.00–320.00 $303.93 $1,769 +36.43
586 586 4 287.50 $287.50 $1,685 +20.00
603–632 612 6 287.50–325.00 $300.54 $1,839 —
670–698 682 3 255.00–285.00 $273.13 $1,863 —
718–742 730 4 255.00–277.50 $266.21 $1,943 +11.21
780 780 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,067 +32.50
818 818 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,045 —
876 876 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,102 —
948 948 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,801 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 350.00 $350.00 $910 —
302 302 1 320.00 $320.00 $966 +5.00
376 376 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,316 —
444–448 447 3 320.00–340.00 $333.37 $1,490 —
550–580 563 3 260.00–280.00 $269.30 $1,516 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 310.00 $310.00 $880 —
318–340 332 4 290.00–305.00 $298.70 $992 —
366–386 376 2 250.00–300.00 $274.34 $1,032 —
440 440 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,188 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 3 310.00 $310.00 $1,352 —
470 470 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,398 —
508 508 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,448 —
644 644 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,610 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
402 402 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,126 —
502–506 504 2 220.00–250.00 $234.94 $1,184 —
562 562 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,377 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202 202 1 245.00 $245.00 $495 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
206–234 218 6 400.00–470.00 $436.74 $952 -1.77
252–298 281 8 380.00–435.00 $416.30 $1,170 -11.44
302–346 329 17 400.00–440.00 $424.15 $1,395 +24.59
354–392 375 28 380.00–445.00 $421.46 $1,580 +22.05
400–449 434 13 357.50–405.00 $379.14 $1,645 -17.60
452–498 479 19 300.00–362.50 $334.43 $1,602 -17.49
500 500 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,500 -21.63
500–544 522 24 300.00–340.00 $319.09 $1,666 -2.54
550–592 567 29 300.00–337.50 $319.89 $1,814 +0.43
600–644 621 17 290.00–322.50 $310.79 $1,930 +12.24
666–696 678 6 225.00–305.00 $272.19 $1,845 -10.40
700–730 713 7 220.00–280.00 $249.47 $1,779 -6.19
778 778 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,692 -36.64
806–844 830 6 180.00–220.00 $201.93 $1,676 —
850–888 869 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,738 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 380.00 $380.00 $836 —
308 308 2 350.00–375.00 $362.50 $1,116 -17.50
434–440 437 2 350.00–370.00 $359.93 $1,573 —
452–480 465 4 275.00–310.00 $297.24 $1,382 -3.28
548 548 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,480 -10.00
638 638 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,659 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 358 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,325 +25.01
418 418 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,338 ±0.00
470–498 486 3 295.00–315.00 $303.13 $1,473 -6.87
560 560 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,512 ±0.00
790 790 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,580 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222–236 229 2 290.00–355.00 $323.49 $741 —
266–268 267 3 310.00–325.00 $318.35 $850 —
320 320 1 290.00 $290.00 $928 -20.00
476 476 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,071 -55.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266 266 1 345.00 $345.00 $918 —
634 634 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,268 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–332 326 2 200.00–250.00 $224.54 $732 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1190 994 85-90% 12 120.00–140.00 $127.42 $1,267 +35.94
976–1298 1130 85-90% 4 110.00–120.00 $113.70 $1,285 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
898–1196 1073 80-85% 7 135.00–160.00 $144.93 $1,555 —
1412–1772 1592 80-85% 2 130.00 $130.00 $2,070 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1106–1400 1253 75-80% 2 100.00–120.00 $108.83 $1,364 —
1318–1882 1577 75-80% 7 130.00–160.00 $142.38 $2,245 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
954 954 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,145 —
980–2068 1440 7 167.00–180.00 $173.20 $2,494 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.